Diet and Nutrition

16 Foods for a Clear Complexion and Younger-Looking Skin

By Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D., Best Life lead nutritionist

Showing a little more skin now that the weather has warmed up? In addition to sunscreen and moisturizers there’s another equally important way to care for your skin—from the inside. Just as there are nutrients particularly critical for the eyes, brain and heart, certain vitamins and phytonutrients are key to radiant, clear skin. By happy coincidence, many of those nutrients are in abundance in spring and summer produce. So, make sure to toss the following in your cart:

Cantaloupe and strawberries. They’re rich in vitamin C, which nourishes skin in two ways. As an antioxidant, this vitamin helps destroy skin-damaging free radicals caused by UV light. Plus, vitamin C is needed to form the protein collagen, which firms up skin and gives it elasticity.

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Posted on May 6, 2024 by BestLifeDiet

Big Ass Salads and 7 More Reasons We Love The Fit Bottomed Girls Anti Diet Book

SHARE THIS ON FACEBOOK TO WIN THIS BOOK!!!

Finally, there’s a BS-free way to lose weight, or get fit, or just live a generally healthier lifestyle. There’s no potion or powder. There’s no pyramid-style marketing scheme. You don’t have to do anything other than buy The Fit Bottomed Girls Anti-Diet book, which releases today, and listen to the guidance provided by these really awesome gals who also happened to be well-educated experts. fbg anti diet

If a diet or weight loss book has come out since 2024, I’m telling you I’ve seen it. I’m the managing editor of the largest diet review site online; nearly 3,000 reviews later I’ve seen it all! So when I tell you that the FBG’s Anti-Diet is a must-have, must-read, no-nonsense, straight-talking book about living and feeling well, then you must believe me.

Anyone can publish a weight loss book. 50 Cent, Alicia Silverstone, and the like have all done it. They bring with them a lot of ghost-written anecdotal experience. What Jennipher Walters and Erin Whitehead deliver in their new book is a heap of certifications, practical experience, and scientifically-supported evidence that every woman can identify with. Best of all, they can apply it! Ten minutes is all these anti-dieters are asking of you. Whether that’s ten minutes to prep a meal, move your body, or lift your spirits, they’ve written the definitive guide on making the best use of all that time you think you don’t have.

So why do we love it so much? If you’ve ever spent even ten minutes on the Fit Bottomed Girls suite of sites, you’ll know there’s a voice and a candor there that is inclusive, energetic, and easy going. It’s that voice you’ll hear throughout this fun read. But that’s not all we love.

Eight Reasons You’ve Got Ten Minutes for The Fit Bottomed Girls Anti-Diet:

1. Big Ass Salads!

Yeah, we said it. So did they. There’s a two-week meal plan loaded with food you’ll actually want to eat and have time to make. Right there in black and white it says Big Ass Salad, one of our favorite entrees. These salads are the size of “your small pet” and have everything in them but the kitchen sink. They even include an official Big Ass Salad and Dressing recipe on page 284.

2. Friends References!

Enough said.

SHARE THIS ON FACEBOOK TO WIN THIS BOOK!!!

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Posted on May 6, 2024 by Natalie K

A Full Day of Cinco de Mayo-Inspired Recipes, from Breakfast to Margaritas

Diets in Review has been covering healthy Cinco de Mayo celebrations for 7 years! This year, rather than create yet another new recipe for good-for-you-guacamole, we’ve put together our hit list for a healthy Cinco de Mayo celebration. Because we’re pretty sure we already nailed it.

For Breakfast:
Start your day with a Fajita Breakfast Burrito. This spin on the classic gets its flavor from sausage and green peppers with a little cumin, soy sauce, and vinegar for good measure. It tastes great, and the healthy helping of protein, fat, fiber, and carbs will keep you full for hours.

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Posted on May 5, 2024 by Jessica Cassity

One-Click Dieting: The Best New Calorie Counting Apps and Gadgets

Our pals at Shape.com recently spotlighted an awesome, soon-to-be-released app that I am so excited about: Ceres, which should be on the market soon, is for people who like the idea of food journaling, but don’t necessarily like the idea of journaling. How does it work? Ceres will allow users who take a picture of their food to receive an approximate calorie count. No more scribbling in a pocket sized notebook , looking through online tables for calorie counts, or scanning a bar-code to find the exact protein bar you’re munching in. I don’t really understand how this will work—I doubt a room full of RDs analyzes each photo—but I love the simplicity!

Bonus: Ceres is being worked on by the same techs behind Siri—which I hope means the app will be sassy! (more…)

Posted on May 5, 2024 by Jessica Tholmer

Work it Off: 3 Ways to Burn Off a 244-Calorie Serving of Guacamole

May is here and Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner. You know what that means: Guacamole season—which in my mind lasts from around May through September—is upon us!

It may be obvious, but Guacamole is probably my favorite food, one of the three things I would want with me on a desert island. A few years ago I even had a “guac off” for my birthday party, asking guests to bring different versions of the classic green condiment/first-course which we of course then taste-tested and voted on. Versions included one with cranberries, one with chipotle chilis, and one with bacon. All were delicious, no surprise.

The good new is, guacamole is made of all sorts of good for you stuff: the avocados are full of heart healthy omega 3s and the onions, cilantro, jalepeno, and so forth provide a ton of nutrients. But moderation is not something I have an easy time practicing with guacamole, and I know I’m not alone: nutrition sites suggest a serving size of 1 oz., or about 2 Tablespoons. But as anyone who’s ever planted themselves next to the guac bowl at a party, it’s hard to stop there. I’ve easily eaten 2/3 of a cup on my own, which contains more like 244 calories. (Let’s not even get into the calories from the chips, which shoot this number way way up!)

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Posted on May 4, 2024 by Jessica Cassity

Taryn Denton’s 135 Pound Weight Loss. No Ah-ha Moment. Just Major Results

A few months ago, Taryn Haley-Denton happened to see one of our weight loss rock stars, Eli Sapharti, do a shout out on Facebook, asking for people who had lost at least 50 pounds to raise their hands if they wanted to be featured for our True Weight Loss (TWLS) segment. Taryn, contacted us immediately. After losing 135 pounds in 2 years, it’s easy to see why.

Usually our TWLS participants can pinpoint one instance that made them want to get serious about weight loss, but for Taryn, there wasn’t one specific catalyst, “I wish I could say I had some romantic moment where I had the whip cream can in my mouth and heard a divine voice say, ‘Taryn, this is not the life for you,’ she explained. “Mainly the reason I started getting healthy is, well, that’s what you do when you’re heavy – you think about losing weight and being thin, yet never really think you will.”

But she did! Spurred on by the thought of looking better, feeling healthy, and conceiving a future child, Taryn made a complete lifestyle change. “Theoretically, it was very simple,” she said. “I ate less, ate healthy, and exercised more. No secret pill, specific diet plan or premade meals.”

I modified my diet, that’s all.

By restricting her intake to a minimal amount of fast food, processed foods, refined flour sugar and grain, Taryn began to lose 10 pounds per month. “I eat five to six small meals per day that include a wide variety of vegetables (I dress them up with different spices and sauces), and lean protein (chicken, fish, turkey, egg whites, greek yogurt, and cottage cheese).”

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Posted on May 3, 2024 by Dani Stone

8 Natural Cures for Knee Osteoarthritis Aches

Five years ago, almost to the day, I was diagnosed with pretty severe knee osteoarthritis. I was a on the young side for this condition: I was still in my late 20s although my doctor said my knees were more like those of an 80-year-old. The good news was, and still is, that while I suffer from occasional swelling in my joints I don’t really experience much pain. This is part luck, and part careful planning. If you’re been feeling any extra aches or have a diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis here are some tricks that have helped me minimize any discomfort and will allow me to put off treatment (i.e., a knee replacement) for as long as possible:

1. Ditch the high heels. Funny but true: This was probably the hardest lifestyle change to make. I was living in New York where shoes are a real part of the dress code. But I had flashes of pain each time I walked down the stairs in them, or stood for long periods of time. If osteoarthritis is a wearing down of the cartilage between the bones I realized that this was one thing I needed to avoid in order to give my knees TLC.

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Posted on May 2, 2024 by Jessica Cassity

Taco Bell Divulges What’s Really in Their Beef (HINT: It’s Not Just Meat)

Taco Bell had an announcement this week that certainly surprised us. The fast food corporation decided to divulge what’s actually in its meat—and it turns out, it is mostly actually meat! Or at least, it’s almost 9/10ths meat.

In an official statement, Taco Bell stated that their beef is “88% beef and 12% signature recipe.” The company also assured the nation that their beef is not grade D beef, but that it is as quality as any ground beef that you might find in a grocery store.

So what makes up the “signature recipe” that accounts for the other 12% of the filling? Mostly spices and thickeners, the chain insists. “Ingredients like oats and sodium phosphates help make sure the texture is right.” We’re of the opinion that “beef texture” is probably best produced by beef, but I guess when you operate a worldwide chain you need consistency. Maybe these fillers make the beef used in Kansas taste the same as the beef used in California?

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Posted on May 1, 2024 by Jessica Tholmer

Maca Powder: The Best Thing You’ll Find in the Supplement Aisle

If you’re looking to decrease stress, stabilize your hormones, boost your sex drive, neutralize the acidity of your body, and blast your system with nutrients, look no further than that section at the health food store you always ignore: the supplement aisle.

I know what you’re thinking: Supplements? Aren’t those the often untested, unapproved sorta drugs that always seem too good to be true. For the most part yes—I largely avoid most of the powders, pills, and formulas available in this section of the health food store. But there’s one supplement that’s definitely worth picking up for any of the above conditions: Maca powder.

Maca-what?
Maca powder has also been called “Peruvian ginseng”. Although it’s thought of as a supplement, researchers suspect this South American staple has been consumed for around 2,000 years. The Incas considered maca to be a gift of the gods, due to its superior nutritional value, and it’s one of the only plants to thrive in the tough conditions of the Andes mountains. Maca powder comes from the root of the plant. (more…)

Posted on May 1, 2024 by Katie McGrath

Atkins for Endurance Runs: Why Cutting Carbs Eliminates Tummy Troubles and Powers You for Hours

Running a marathon is serious business, which is why most competitive runners have an unflagging game face. (After all, any extra effort—like that needed to muster up a smile—might zap important energy stores!) But it’s hard not to grin when you get a look at the ridiculous signs held by fans, many of which refer to the gross things that can happen during long distance runs. All those banners about diarrhea and going number 2 while running down a crowded street? Well, they’re funny because they’re true.

However, stomach cramps, sprints to the port-potties, and worse don’t actually need to be a part of your marathon plan, according to Colette Heimowitz, MS, VP of Nutrition and Education at Atkins.

“Carb loading for cardio endurance can help you have energy, but it has side-effects,” says Heimowitz. “You have to take in so many carbs right before an event that runners get so many to intestinal upsets.” Even worse, she says, most runners who rely on carbs for their energy tap their stores well before end. (more…)

Posted on April 30, 2024 by Jessica Cassity

Chef Secrets: 11 Kitchen Essentials for Easy Cooking and Healthy Eating

By Team Best Life

Some kitchen setups support weight loss efforts while others sabotage them. (The one pictured above looks like a good start to us!) Luckily it’s easy to make over a less-than-healthy cooking and baking space. If you have the right gadgets on your counters and fill your fridge and cabinets with the right foods your kitchen can be a weight loss haven, says Best Life chef Sidra Forman. Here are her 11 healthy kitchen essentials:

Must-Have Gadgets
1. A peeler
A good peeler opens up a whole world of fresh vegetables that might otherwise seem like a huge amount of labor to get through.

2. A salad spinner
Greens are low in calories and loaded with fiber, vitamins and phytonutrients, plant chemicals that protect against disease. A salad spinner makes it easier to incorporate them into your diet. Whether you’re cooking with them or creating a salad (like this tasty Peach Salad with Balsamic Dressing), you’ll want to start with clean and dry greens.

3. A roasting pan or heavy bottom skillet
Roasting is a cooking method that doesn’t require a ton of fat and brings out the flavors in all sorts of foods. If you do a lot of roasting, you’ll need a heavy bottom skillet. These allow you to cook over high heat—they distribute the heat nicely throughout the bottom of the pan—so food cooks properly without burning. A larger size pan is a good buy because you can use it for a lot of different foods. (more…)

Posted on April 29, 2024 by BestLifeDiet

Diet and Nutrition

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